Karen Pollitt and Scott Whitaker continue the discussion with Karen Melchert on how Covid-19 has impacted the insurance industry. Listen as they discuss how the industry has changed, and what the future of insurance will look like.

Featuring: Karen Melchert, Regional Vice President, State Affairs at American Council of Life Insurers – ACLI

Hosted by: Karen Pollitt, Assistant Vice President, Product Development Accident & Health Division, Axis Capital
Scott Whitaker, Director of Product Design, Perr & Knight

Karen Melchert serves as Regional Vice President, State Relations for The American Council of Life Insurers (ACLI).  ACLI is a Washington, D.C.-based trade association with approximately 290-member companies operating in the United States and abroad. ACLI advocates in federal, state, and international forums for public policy that supports the industry marketplace and the 75 million American families that rely on life insurers’ products for financial and retirement security.  ACLI members offer life insurance, annuities, retirement plans, long-term care and disability income insurance, and reinsurance, representing more than 95 percent of industry assets and premiums.

Ms. Melchert administers the legislative and regulatory relationships regarding the life insurance industry in Illinois, Michigan, New Mexico, Ohio and Utah and is the ACLI lead advocate for the National Council of Insurance Legislators (NCOIL).  Ms. Melchert also works closely with ACLLI policy experts on the areas of consumer data privacy, corporate division and insurance business transfers and value-added service issues. 

Prior to her career at ACLI, Ms. Melchert worked for over 20 years at CNA Insurance Companies in a variety of roles within the Corporate Law Department, most notably as Assistant Vice President, Government Relations.  

Ms. Melchert received her B.A. in Communications from Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame and her J.D. from DePaul University College of Law.  She resides in Oak Park, Illinois.

Karen Pollitt is a seasoned insurance compliance and product professional. She is currently Director, Product Development at AXIS Insurance Company, in the accident and health division.
Karen’s experience includes insurance regulatory affairs, managing state filings & statutory reporting, product development and contract drafting, advertising review, legislative/regulatory review and research and complaint handling. Her career began with the John Hancock Companies as a NASD Registered Representative, then with Combined International Insurance as a Group Contract Analyst. She was the Lead Compliance Analyst at Colonial Penn Life Insurance Company for 17 ½ years before becoming a Senior Contract & Compliance Consultant for 5 years working with Coulter & Associates, Inc.

Karen has served the AICP in numerous capacities including:

• National Executive Committee and Board of Directors:
  Vice President 9/2019 – 10/2021
  Regional Director – 9/2017 to 9/2019
  Chapter Relations Chair – 9/2018 to 9/2019
  Secretary 9/2013 – 9/2015
• Regional Chapter Board
  Mid-Atlantic Chapter Past-President: 2009 – 2010
  Mid-Atlantic Chapter President: 2008 – 2009
  Mid-Atlantic Chapter Secretary: 2007-2008
  Mid-Atlantic Chapter Sponsorship Chair 2017 to 2019
• National Committee Work: Marketing; Membership; Government Relations; Canadian Initiative

Karen has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Management from Thomas Jefferson University. She has earned the compliance designations of Associate, Insurance Regulatory Compliance, Associate Compliance Professional and Certified Compliance Professional

Scott Whitaker is the Director of Product Design with Perr&Knight. In this position, he is responsible for management of the Product Design practice area. Scott oversees the services provided by the Property & Casualty and Accident & Health product design teams including product development, policy form content reviews, compliance reviews, competitor form comparisons and regulatory compliance research. He also leads the work associated with compliance testing and operational gap analysis services.

Scott joined Perr&Knight in 2020 bringing more than 25 years of experience in the insurance industry. Just prior to joining Perr&Knight, he was the Regulatory Compliance Manager and Assistant Secretary at EMC Insurance Companies. Before EMC, Scott spent 20 plus years at Nationwide Insurance in Claims and Compliance. He also worked at Marsh/Mercer as an Operations Manager for Life and Health Employee Benefits.

Scott’s expertise and professionalism is evidenced by his position on the Association of Insurance Compliance Professionals (“AICP”) Board of Directors. He is a frequently requested speaker at AICP annual conferences and E-Days. He also serves a Director on the Insurance Regulatory Examiners Society (“IRES”) Foundation’s Board. Scott holds his Market Conduct Management (“MCM”) designation and attended Wright State University where he studied Business Administration.